Between January and May 2026, Ecuador’s trade balance in goods recorded a USD 2.144 billion surplus. Although this represents a 38% decline compared with the same period in 2025, Ecuador maintained a positive trade balance, supported by export growth, which reached USD 16.288 billion, a 5% year-on-year increase. This outcome was underpinned by favorable balances in both the oil and non-oil trade accounts.
Oil exports totaled USD 4.054 billion, posting a 16% year-on-year increase. This performance was driven by a 25% increase in the average price of Ecuadorian crude oil, which more than offset the 6% decline in export volumes. Meanwhile, non-oil exports grew by 2%.
Among the country’s main non-oil exports, shrimp reached USD 3.892 billion, representing a 12% increase compared with the same period in 2025, with China remaining its principal destination market. Mining products totaled USD 2.221 billion, recording a 47% year-on-year increase, while bananas and plantains reached USD 2.023 billion, up 7%, with Russia as the leading export destination. In contrast, cocoa and cocoa products totaled USD 820 million, representing a 59% year-on-year decline. Excluding this category, non-oil exports grew by 14%, highlighting the significant impact of cocoa exports on the overall performance of the sector.
Imports amounted to USD 14.143 billion, increasing 18% year-on-year, a faster pace than export growth. This contributed to the reduction in the cumulative trade surplus during the first five months of the year. Imports of fuels and lubricants totaled USD 3.683 billion, an increase of 35%, with the United States remaining the principal supplier. China also continued to be the leading source of consumer goods, raw materials, and capital goods.
External Trade Performance in May
In May 2026, Ecuador’s trade balance in goods recorded a USD 645 million surplus, a significant improvement from the USD 70 million deficit reported in April. On a year-on-year basis, however, the surplus was 2% lower than that recorded in May 2025.
Exports reached USD 3.698 billion, increasing 16% compared with April and 12% relative to May of the previous year. Oil exports amounted to USD 1.038 billion, posting increases of 23% month-on-month and 85% year-on-year, supported by higher international oil prices and increased export volumes.
Within the non-oil segment, exports of mining products reached USD 481 million, representing increases of 34% compared with April and 20% relative to May 2025. Shrimp exports totaled USD 954 million, rising 20% month-on-month and 8% year-on-year. Exports of cocoa and cocoa products amounted to USD 153 million, an increase of 22% compared with April; however, they remained 58% below the level recorded in May 2025.
Imports totaled USD 3.053 billion, declining 7% compared with April while increasing 16% relative to May 2025. Imports of fuels and lubricants recorded the largest year-on-year increase (62%), although
they declined 13% from the previous month. Meanwhile, capital goods imports increased 4% month-on-month and 16% year-on-year, making them the only import category to record growth under both comparisons.
In accordance with its mandate as the institution responsible for compiling Ecuador’s macroeconomic statistics, the Central Bank of Ecuador (BCE) ensures the consistency and reliability of external trade statistics through a rigorous validation process of the information provided by the National Customs Service of Ecuador (SENAE), among other sources. As a result of this process, trade statistics are published with a maximum lag of 45 days, ensuring the availability of timely and high-quality data.
Strategic Communications Department
For detailed disaggregated statistics, please visit the BCE External Trade Statistics Portal at:
https://contenido.bce.fin.ec/documentos/PublicacionesNotas/bi_fw.html
